Nyghts of San Francisco: A New Beginning
by DevinReidar
Summary: The Charmed Ones have vanquished the Source for the third time and turned down what was offered by the Angel of Destiny. Unfortunately, their actions have cracked the gates of Hell and unleashed a darkness that threatens to overwhelm the city. Please R&R.
1. A New Charge

I do not own Charmed or any of its characters. However, I do own Dan, the Elemental Mechanics and developments. These are under copyright and I will pursue those that steal my ideas to the fullest extent of the law.

This story is just before the beginning to Season 5

Please enjoy the story.

* * *

_"Find the Charmed Ones. They are the only ones who can save you now."_

Dan's eyes snapped open. He was wide awake and staring at the roof of his 1969 Plymouth Satellite. It was night in the city of San Francisco, but it was far from dark. The concrete jungle was alit with stars of its own, which took the forms of streetlights and florescent bulbs glowing from office windows. He wiped his forehead with the back of his hand, and was not surprised to find sweat there. The dreams were coming back now.

Bringing the back of his chair into the upright position, Dan started the car. It was now or never. He had no misconceptions about the Charmed Ones. In the demonic Underworld they were the most feared and hated beings in their tier of power, but there were worse things out there now.

It wasn't that these other beings hadn't existed before, just that the Charmed Ones hadn't appeared on their radar until now. A world of Vampires, Werewolves, True Demons, and Mages that once lurked in the shadows was preparing to step into the light. This was his world, and he was the prey among the predators.

Being a mere mortal in a world of ravenous wolves was not something most people could take, but it was something Dan had been forced to live with since childhood. He hadn't wanted this life of battle and pain and death, but it had been forced upon him by a fanatical being that thought he was a creature of prophecy. Dan didn't know what to think of this. He had never seen any evidence to support the theory, as he possessed no magical abilities whatsoever.

As he pulled to a stop in front of the Victorian-style home, Dan found himself wondering just what kind of people these witches were. To have vanquished the Source three times and throw the Underworld into upheaval like they had, he assumed they would be quite militaristic in their style of magic. Not for the first time in his life, Dan felt fear grip his chest. What if they saw him as a threat? He was a physically imposing man and quite adept at combat, but he doubted that he would stand much of a chance should they decide he was a threat.

The lights in the windows were on, which led him to believe that at least one of the three sisters was home and or awake. Summoning up the rest of his courage, Dan walked up to the front door and rang the bell.

* * *

Paige Matthews was busy in the kitchen trying as always to perfect her potion-making skills when she heard the doorbell ring. _Who on earth would be calling this late? _she wondered. She checked the clock. It was 9:30.

Letting out a sigh, she quickly hid the evidence before walking to the door and opening it. Standing before her was a handsome, if intimidating man. He stood well over six feet, and looked to weigh around two hundred-fifty pounds. Long black hair flowed past his shoulders, and icy gray eyes stared out from a strong face. He was dressed completely in black, down to his boots, and she could tell that he sported thick armor beneath his leather jacket.

"Can I help you?" she asked uncertainly.

"I'm looking for the Charmed Ones," the man replied. His voice was deep and a little intoxicating. Paige mentally kicked herself. This man apparently knew who they were, and she was thinking about how sexy his voice was? Maybe Piper was right and she did need to reconfigure her priorities.

"I'm sorry, I don't know who you're talking about," Paige ventured somewhat weakly.

"If you want to be more convincing when you lie, look into the person's eyes," he replied. "I'm not here to cause you harm. I'm an innocent, and I need your help."

"Forgive me for being skeptical, but that's not the first time someone's said that," she retorted. "And usually it ends in nothing but trouble."

"Feel free to run a background check on me if you like," he said. "But I promise you that I'm legit. How do you protect innocents if you don't trust anyone? I realize that you are probably attacked by demons on a weekly or even daily basis, but feel free to test my blood against a vanquishing potion. I assure you I'm a mortal."

Paige sighed, rubbing her forehead. Her instincts told her that he was telling the truth, that it was her job to protect this man, but her mind told her to turn him away. After a few moments of mental warring, she stepped aside and let him into the house.

"What's your name?" she asked as she led him into the conservatory.

"Dan," he replied. "Dan Harborson."

* * *

"So wait," Piper began. "You're telling me that there is a six-foot four, two-hundred fifty pound tower of muscle sitting in our conservatory claiming to be an _innocent_!?"

"I tested it, and he isn't a demon. He's completely mortal," Paige replied over the phone.

"The witch hunter was also a mortal, Paige," Piper said skeptically. "Just don't let him out of your sight, and definitely don't let him near the Book of Shadows until I get home."

"Yes, Mother," Paige replied, her tone dripping with sarcasm. She hung up the phone before walking back into the conservatory. Her eyes widened when she saw that her new charge was no longer there, and she frantically began looking around for him. She did not have to search for long, however, and quickly found him rummaging through the kitchen.

Dan turned around to face the witch, a bottle of water in his hand. "I take it you guys don't keep any beer around here. Damn pity," he said before taking a swig from the bottle.

"You're right, we don't keep beer around here," Paige said indignantly. "And just where do you get the impression that you can go rummaging through our refrigerator?"

"Well a polite host would have offered me something a drink fifteen minutes ago," he replied calmly. "It's a long drive from Atlanta."

Paige sighed, shaking her head. _What did I do to deserve this, exactly?_

"Regardless, I'd appreciate it if you didn't go digging through our house right now," she said. "Let's go back into the conservatory and talk. My sisters should be home shortly, and I'm sure they'll want to hear your story as well."

Dan nodded, allowing her to lead him back into the other room. He took a seat in one of the white wicker chairs, setting the bottle of water on the table beside him. Paige sat down on the sofa across from him, leaning back and crossing her arms beneath her breasts.

"So what's your story, Dan?" she asked with an arched eyebrow.

"Wouldn't you rather wait for your sisters?" he replied.

"I can give them the cliff notes version," Paige said. "Right now I want the whole thing." _That sounded really dirty, Paige. Shut up! Get your head out of the gutter! Ah hell, what's the use?_

"Fine," Dan said. "I'm not actually from America, but from a small town in Norway called Rheinhart."

"Never heard of it," Paige said.

"That's because it doesn't exist anymore. At least not on this plane," he replied. "It happened when I was seven. It was just like any other evening…"

_Dan watched the stars hanging above the snow-swept landscape outside the living room window, smiling when he heard a wolf howl at the crescent moon. Nothing could have been more perfect in that moment, but it was all about to change. The smell of dinner wafted throughout the house, filling it with the warmth and love of family._

_The front door smashed open, revealing a tall, intimidating figure garbed in black and red. His face was hidden by a dark cowl over his head, but his voice was one that Dan would never forget. He spoke in a language Dan had never heard before, but nevertheless it terrified him. Another voice filled the air, that of his father._

_"Dan! Go! Run! Get out of here!"_

_Without a second thought Dan leapt to his feet and ran for the back door. Behind him, the screams of his dying parents followed… screams that would haunt him until the end of his days._

Paige regarded him with great empathy as he finished the first part of his story, and she found herself unable to take her eyes off of his. She knew what it felt to lose family. Not a day went by when she didn't think about her adoptive parents; not a day where she didn't mourn them.

"That man has followed me ever since that day," Dan continued. "He has chased me to the ends of the earth trying to kill me, and I still don't understand why. He will stop at nothing to kill me, and I can't defeat him on my own."

Paige was at a loss for words, but fortunate for her the door opened at that moment, permitting Piper and Phoebe entrance. She stood, taking a deep breath and rubbing her upper arms uncomfortably. After hanging up their jackets, Piper and Phoebe walked briskly into the conservatory.

"Alright, where is he?" Piper asked with a huff. Phoebe stopped when she saw their new "innocent," arching an eyebrow.

"I think I found him," she said, looking Dan up and down. "You didn't tell me he was so… big."

Piper rolled her eyes. "Phoebe, focus! Now, does somebody want to let us know what's going on?"

* * *

Several cups of coffee later, Dan had finished telling his story for the second time. He hadn't made it through as well. Rarely had he ever told anyone about his past, and he had never done so twice in one night, but he knew it was the only way to gain their trust. When he was finally able to sit back and relax for a moment, he found himself exhausted. No one spoke for several moments, and a thick silence hung in the air. Unable to deal with the uncomfortable silence, Paige was the first to speak.

"I say we help him."

"I'm inclined to agree," Phoebe replied. She cast a sympathetic glance towards Dan. "So tell us more about this demon who's trying to kill you."

Dan shook his head. "He's not a demon. He's far worse than any demon. Of course, the 'demons' that you face aren't really demons at all. They are merely Thralls to higher, True Demons. But that's beside the point. His name is Valdaar, and he is a rare breed of supernatural known as an Elemental. From what I can tell, there are very few of them left, and for good reason. Each represents a different element of earth, but not in the traditional sense. Of course there are those that wield fire, water, air, and earth; but I've also seen evidence of metal, electricity, wood, and several others. I'm not really sure how it all works, but I know two things for certain: First, they can control any aspect of the element they represent. Second, they are worth about ten of any normal thaumaturge."

"So you're telling us that this guy is more powerful than we are?" Piper asked, arching an eyebrow.

Dan nodded slowly. "I know that this is a lot to take in, but in order to survive I've had to immerse myself in the demonic Underworld. Knowledge is the key to survival, and like it or not, they have the most knowledge about these types of creatures."

"What did you mean when you said the demons we've faced aren't really demons?" Phoebe asked.

"They aren't. They're slaves to those who were once Angels. Some are imbued with more power than others, but the fact remains that they are mere shadows of what truly lurks in the darkness," Dan replied. "The one you call the Source of All Evil is nothing more than a reflection of the Demon Abaddon."

Paige ran her fingers through her hair, letting out an exasperated sigh. "So why are these True Demons just now coming out of the woodwork? Why haven't they destroyed us before now?"

"The gates of Hell hadn't loosed them until just recently. In fact, I daresay that you three are responsible," Dan said. "When you vanquished the Source for the third time, you unleashed a torrent of power so great that it cracked the bars of the Pit, allowing the lower ranks of Hell to escape into the world. From what I've seen in the past couple of months, they are forced to possess a host body in order to survive in the mortal world, but that doesn't make them any less deadly. They only possess a fraction of the earth-shattering power they once did, but that is still more significant than anything you three can put together. What I'm trying to say here, is that unless your powers mature to their full potential, the Charmed Ones will no longer be the greatest power in the world."

* * *

Over the next few days, the Charmed Ones and their new innocent began to dig deeper into the unraveling mystery that was the "greater" supernatural world. It seemed they were now visible on their radar as well, because more strange looks than usual were being cast in their direction by more and more people. The Book of Shadows had nothing to offer, as none in the line had reached this point in their power development yet.

Each of the sisters had begun to develop their own impressions of their new charge as well. Piper was still skeptical about his desire to help them in return for protection, and felt that he was putting her family, especially her unborn daughter, in unnecessary danger. Phoebe found herself strangely attracted to him, something in his dark demeanor and strong physical form reminding her of the good times with Cole, and she made sure to spend as much time around him as she could when he was at the Manor. Paige, on the other hand, found herself suffering from mixed feelings. She felt a deep empathy with him, but at the same time she was also afraid for the same reasons that Piper was.

Leo's regular visits to the Elders confirmed what Dan had been teaching them as well. Demons were not the only thing the Charmed Ones had to worry about now, apparently. The vampires that had turned Paige weren't even true vampires, but an extremely weak offshoot of a much more powerful race. Werewolves and Mages, greater entities of witches and warlocks, also posed a new threat. The world looked very dark indeed for the Charmed Ones and their allies, but the worst was yet to come.

Two weeks after their initial meeting, Dan's car came roaring around the corner of Prescott St. It came to a screeching halt in front of the manor, its driver's side door opening to permit the exit of its owner. Dan rushed up the front steps, falling heavily against the doorframe as he rang the bell. Paige answered a moment later, and when she saw his condition, quickly ushered him inside.

"What the hell happened to you?" she asked in shock.

"I'll live, just a bad cut between the third and fourth rib," he replied. He held a bloody rag against his midsection, but thick red fluid continued to seep around the cloth despite his efforts.

Paige quickly moved him to the living room, helping him sit down on the sofa before rushing into the bowels of the house in search of medical supplies. When she returned, Dan's torso was bare, and his jacket, armor, and shirt lay in a heap on the floor next to his feet.

Paige couldn't help but drown her eyes with his nearly perfect figure. Toned muscles covered his arms and torso, but what caught her gaze next disturbed her greatly. Crisscrossing his chest and arms were a myriad of scars. Most of them seemed to be from deep gashes, but there were a couple that marked bullet wounds. Her heart went out to this mortal. He had not asked to be introduced to this world of magic and demons; he had been forced into it unwillingly.

"So what happened?" she asked as she pulled his hand away from the wound. She was unable to suppress a gasp when she saw the deep gash, and she quickly applied pressure with the new rag.

"He's here," Dan replied. "Valdaar is here. I just barely got away from him this time." He winces as she applies pressure, but otherwise maintains his composure. "Do you have anything I can use to stitch this?"

Paige nodded, opening the first aid kid and drawing out peroxide along with needle and stitch. Dan takes it from her, pouring the peroxide on the rag and pressing it against his side again. There was a loud hiss as the peroxide made contact with the wound, and Paige grimaced, unable to imagine just how painful his injury was. What worried her more, however, was the appearance of Valdaar.

"Do you know where he is now?" she asked.

Dan shook his head. "I have no idea. I was on my way back from meeting with my Vampire contact when he ambushed me. He started throwing stone spikes and I took off running. Thankfully he didn't damage my car."

Paige's eyebrows raised at this. "You're sitting here bleeding all over Piper's furniture and you're worried about your _car_?"

"I built that car," Dan replied with a chuckle. He removed the rag, letting out a sigh when he saw that the bleeding had almost stopped. He set the rag aside and began to stitch himself. Paige looked away, unable to watch him repair his own body.

"I think you should stay here for the time being," she said. "You'll be safer, and with Valdaar walking around the city, it would be better for you to stay as close to us as possible."

"I can handle myself just fine," he replied. "Bastard just caught me off guard. I'll be ready next time."

Paige set her jaw, her stubbornness kicking in. "I know that you can handle yourself, Dan, but Valdaar has a strong advantage over you. You're mortal, and he can command Earth."

Dan let out a sigh. His natural instinct was to argue with her, but he knew that she was only trying to help. In addition to that, she had made a good point. There was no way he could take down Valdaar one on one. While he was the superior combatant, Valdaar's magic gave him an advantage that was nearly impossible to overcome.

"Alright, you win," he said. "I'll crash on your couch until this is over."

Paige smiled. "Just remember that we're here to help and protect you, sweetie. You're our main charge now."

"Yeah, I haven't had a whitelighter for some time now."

"What happened to your last one?" Paige asked.

Dan sighed, his shoulders slumping. "She was killed by a darklighter. I didn't get to her in time, and the arrow passed right through her. It was a slow, painful death, something I never wanted to happen. With everything I know about magic and the Underworld, I couldn't do anything but hold her while she died."

Paige suddenly regretted asking the question. It seemed that he had many painful memories buried beneath his armored exterior, and while it intrigued her, she didn't want to cause him any more pain. She placed a soft hand on his knee, her gaze meeting his.

"I'm sorry."

* * *

I hope you enjoyed the first chapter, I know it's a slow starter, but look forward to a lot of action, drama, horror, and romance in the upcoming chapters. 


	2. Invitation

In the bustling heart of Downtown San Francisco, Piper hurried from the bank, knowing that leaving P3 in the hands of a raw manager was a recipe' for disaster. She climbed into her SUV, shutting the door and starting the engine quickly. She pulled out onto the road, Liz Phair bursting forth from her stereo as she drove back to P3. A few minutes later, Piper pulled into her reserved parking spot and hurried into the busy club.

People were milling about everywhere, and no table was empty. There was one open seat at the bar when Piper walked in, but that was quickly filled by a handsome young woman with bright blonde hair. After a quick glance around the club to make sure it wasn't on fire, she spotted the new manager and walked over to him, putting her hands in her back pockets.

"Everything going all right, Markell?" she asked the dark-skinned man.

"Everything's just fine, ma'am. How did your trip to the bank go?" he replied, his words carrying a mild carribbean accent. He was tall and lithe, with shoulder-length hair in small braids, and a soul patch. One thing that Piper liked about him, was the fact that he always seemed to be smiling and having a good time. He showed good promise as a manager. The one thing that Piper didn't like about him, was that there wasn't anything NOT to like about him. It gave her the heebie-jeebies.

"It went well, I got the deposit dropped off," she affirmed. "It's been a busy night. I haven't had to take a mid-shift deposit in in a while."

"Yeah, the club is doing well."

Alright, well I'll be in my office if you need anything. And I mean ANYthing," she said. "You seem to be handling things pretty well here, and I need to get some paperwork done."

"Things will be fine out here, Mrs. Halliwell."

She left the main lounge and walked into the back, taking a seat at her desk and starting to go over notes she'd copied from the Book of Shadows. She and Paige had tried scrying, but given up on it. Since they had arisen to a higher status as supernaturals, other beings had been popping up everywhere and disrupting any attempt at scrying. Piper secretly hoped that Paige could figure out some way with her limited powers over Correspondence to get the scrying to work.

"I just don't get it!" she sighed angrily to herself. _Grams and Mom were both powerful witches, and Melinda Warren was the most powerful in our line up to us. So why didn't they encounter these supposed other beings before? I mean the vampires we dealt with were bad enough, but now we come to find out that they were only a single Elder vampire and a bunch of her Ghouls? That just doesn't make any damn sense!_

She pounded her fist against the desk in frustration, running her fingers through her hair afterwards. _And how do these bloodsuckers get off that they run the city? How DO they run the city?_

She pulled her phone out of her pocket and dialed Phoebe's number. They were all going to have to sit down and have a sisterly chat about these issues, and get to work on solving them. She brought the phone to her ear, listening to it ring for Phoebe's cell phone.

She heard the click of Phoebe answering the call and let out a sigh. "PHOEBE! Where are you!?" she snaps more forcefully than she means to. Frustrated beyond the breaking point, Piper scatters the papers on her desk everywhere.

"I'm just about to walk into the house, why?" came Phoebe's reply.

"Good!" Piper said. "Stay there, I'm coming home. Tell Paige not to go anywhere, either. It's time we came up with a solid plan for how to deal with all of this."

"Alright, Piper," her sister said. "Just calm down, stressing isn't good for the baby."

"I really wish people would stop telling me to calm down," Piper retorted. She hung up the phone with a sigh, collecting her purse and keys before leaving.

Paige jumped when she heard a loud "thunk!" echo off of the walls in the house, followed by the sound of Phoebe shouting angrily. She quickly finished putting the medical supplies away and rushed into the foyer. The sight that greeted her there was nothing like she had expected. Imbedded in the doorframe was a massive Norse longsword. Attached to the hilt end of the weapon was Dan, still shirtless and wearing an apologetic expression on his face. Standing in the doorway with her hands on her hips was an extremely disgruntled Phoebe, who was busy shouting all manners of curses at the Norwegian.

"Sorry," Dan said. "Thought you were… someone else."

"SORRY!?" she shouted. "You nearly slice off my head and all you can say is 'SORRY'!?"

Paige quickly rushed up to them as Dan withdrew his weapon from the doorframe and sheathed it, turning his back on the still extremely angry witch and walking into the conservatory. Phoebe started to storm after him, but Paige placed a hand on her shoulder to stop her.

"Hey, it's not his fault," she said. "Look there's something I need to tell you."

Phoebe sighed heavily, running a hand through her hair. "What is it, Paige? There had better be a damned good excuse for him nearly beheading me."

"There isn't, but I can give you a good reason as to why he's so on edge," Paige replied. "Valdaar is here, in the city."

Phoebe's eyes moved to where Dan was sitting in the conservatory, immediately coming to rest on the bandage wrapped around his midsection. "Something tells me he didn't get that from making potions," she said, her gaze shifting back to her sister. Her eyes were now full of worry. "When did this happen?"

"He came in about half an hour ago," Paige said. "He was bleeding everywhere, and said that Valdaar jumped him in an alleyway."

"What is it about bad guys and attacking people in alleyways?" Phoebe asks rhetorically. "So what's our next move?"

"I'm not sure," Paige said, shaking her head. "This is getting really deep, really fast," she added.

Phoebe's eyes were back on their houseguest, and she nodded in response to Paige. "Uh huh."

"Phoebe! Focus!" Paige snapped, rolling her eyes at her sister.

Phoebe jumped, unable to suppress a chuckle. "Sorry. I'm just… distracted."

"Really? I couldn't tell," Paige said with a soft laugh. "Let's get back on target here. We need to find Valdaar before he finds Dan, but there's nothing in the Book of Shadows about Elementals. We have no idea if a vanquishing potion will work or not, and from what Dan's been telling us, a Power of Three spell might not even work."

"Well Piper is on her way home right now," Phoebe replied. "She'll have a better idea of what to do."

At that moment, the front door opened and Piper walked in carrying the mail. Seeing that everyone had congregated in the conservatory, she followed suit. After tossing the mail onto the table, she placed her hands on her hips and looked at the three of them.

"Alright everyone, any up-"

She was suddenly interrupted by the sharp sound of oilstone sliding against metal as Dan began to sharpen his sword. "-dates?"

Paige sighed heavily, nodding. "Actually, yes. We've got a major problem. Valdaar is here."

Piper's blood suddenly ran cold, but she managed to keep her composure. "LEO!"

There was a glow of bluish-white incandescent as Leo orbed into the conservatory. He wore a worried expression, something they all seemed to be doing more of lately.

"Any word from the Elders?" Piper asked.

Leo shook his head. "Nothing more than what they've already told us. They've never dealt with witches reaching this level of power before, so these beings have never been on their radar. They do think that the reason you're having trouble scrying is because you're looking for evil. Apparently at this stage, the line between good and evil is apparently blurred to a point that makes it impossible to determine through magic."

"The world isn't black and white," Dan chimed in bitterly. "I assumed you people would understand that by now."

Phoebe arched an eyebrow. "You're supposed to be the expert here," she said. "If you've got something helpful to add to the conversation, by all means tell us."

"Maybe you should check your mail."

Paige's brow furrowed as she picked up the pile of envelopes off of the table and began to flip through them. She stopped when she came upon one that appeared as though it came out of the eighteenth century. It was nestled inside of a standard envelope and stamped, but inside it was sealed with wax. She pulled it out, breaking the seal and opening the letter, reading it aloud.

_To the Residents of Halliwell Manor,_

We request an audience with all of the members of your household at the nightclub Revolution. We have made reservations for you to present yourself to the Prince in a private chamber, as well as enjoy a nice dinner. Please remember to come unarmed, as this will be a peaceful meeting at our Elysium, where no violence is allowed. Thank you, and we hope to see you there at 8 p.m. sharp.

Sincerily,  
Geoffery Hill  
Herald to the Prince of San Francisco

"How did you know?" Piper asked suspiciously.

"It's common practice for new supernaturals in the city, or those who have just come into their power to announce themselves before the Prince. In rare circumstances, the Prince will send out an invitation. Consider yourself lucky," he said. "If he hadn't and you'd failed to announce yourselves, the Prince could have sent the entirety of his Vampire hordes on a Blood Hunt for you."

"That doesn't sound like an invitation to tea," Phoebe said.

"A Blood Hunt means that your lives are worthless to vampire society. You are to be attacked on sight and actively pursued by the Prince's forces. They are even allowed to breach the masquerade in pursuit of you," Dan said.

"Great, well at least our Prince was in a good mood," Paige said.

"He probably wants to form some sort of alliance with you," Dan replied.

Leo sighed. "I don't like the idea of working with other types of supernatural beings until we know more about what's going on."

"We're meeting him tonight," Dan said.

"Who died and made you boss?"

"What are you talking about?"

"There is no way in hell we're walking into a vampire nest!"

"You're insane if you think you're sending them there!"

The sudden outburst caused Dan to hold up his hands in surrender. "Whoa, wait a minute! I'm not going to do anything to get you guys killed. It's going to be dangerous, yes, but the Power of Three will still protect you against them. Your magic is strong, potentially the strongest ever, but you're never going to find out if you stay cooped up in this house until they come looking for you."

Leo glared at him. "We barely know anything about these creatures. I don't think it's a smart idea to walk right into their haven without a plan."

"Leave that to me," Dan said as he got to his feet. He walked into the living room, drawing on his damaged armor and beginning to buckle his weaponry on.

"I knew he was going to say that," Piper said with a sigh.

"You don't need to be going anywhere in the city right now," Phoebe said. "It's too dangerous with Valdaar running around."

"He already knows I'm here," Dan countered. "It's better if I stay near the three of you. We can protect one another. I'll handle the physical side of any conflict we get into, and you three can take care of anything magical that comes up."

Phoebe's eyebrows raised at this. "I'm quite capable of handling myself, thank you very much."

"He's right," Paige interrupted. Everyone turned to look at her. "We're in over our heads right now, and until we learn more about these beings we will be. The best thing to do is try not to become their enemies until we're certain about where the battle lines have been drawn. As much as I hate to put an innocent in unnecessary danger, he knows more about this than we do, and we can still protect him. It would be better if Valdaar attacked him while he's with us than while he's alone here at the Manor."

"I'm not going to argue with you, because I've learned how useless that is," Leo said. "That doesn't mean I have to like it, though. Just promise me you'll be careful, okay?"

Piper nodded, moving closer to her husband and placing a soft kiss on his lips. "We will, honey."

A short time later they were all piled into Dan's car, which couldn't hold any more than its current occupancy. Phoebe rode in the passenger's seat, still amazed that he had installed a specialized seatbelt for Piper. The evening had been a blur up till now, but they had just pulled into the parking lot of one of P3's rival nightclubs. It was almost time to meet the Prince.

They had all been shocked when they realized the address of the vampire's Elysium. Piper had grumbled something incoherent, and Paige had merely arched an eyebrow in surprise. As they stepped out of the car, Phoebe took in the world around her. She thought it strange that something so comfortable and familiar, could become as frightening and alien as an undiscovered nightmare in one night. There were things prowling the alleyways and city streets that she hadn't known existed up until a few days ago. Phoebe would never admit it, but the prospect frightened her greatly.

Dan left his weaponry in the car, knowing that they would be searched upon entry. However, he did hand Phoebe a sliver of sharpened wood. "Hide this in the sleeve of your jacket. If worse comes to worst, aim for the heart. It won't kill them, but it will stop them dead in their tracks."

Phoebe nodded, sliding the miniature stake up her sleeve. "What's the plan if things get hairy?"

Dan heaved a sigh. "Basically, we form the four corners. I'll try and draw them off onto me initially so that you three can escape, but if that doesn't work we'll have to hack our way out the old-fashioned way. Phoebe and I will take point, and Piper and Paige can support us with their magic."

"That sounds pretty good, except for the part of you playing the martyr," Piper said.

Dan narrowed his gaze at her. "Look, I may not know much about magic or casting spells or even making potions, but the one thing I do know about is combat. You three are far more important than I am, and as long as it isn't Valdaar, I really don't mind dying for a cause greater than myself. So you can either listen to me or stay out here and guard the car."

Piper opened her mouth to respond, but Paige held up her hands. "Alright you two, quit it! This bickering has to stop. Remember we're on the same side here," she said, then pointed at Dan. "YOU need to remember that you came to us asking for help. We want to protect you, it's our JOB."

Just as Piper's expression became one of smug superiority, Paige rounded on her. "And YOU need to stop antagonizing him at every turn. If he knows something about this, we should listen. He's done nothing but try and help us so far, and all you've done is treat him like a demon."

Phoebe arched an impressed eyebrow at her sister. She wasn't normally the one to play the role of peacemaker, but the job suited her well. When things finally calmed down, the four of them started towards the front door. Paige and Phoebe were in front, with Piper between them and just two steps behind and Dan flanking her. When they reached the door, the bouncer held out a hand to stop them.

"Sorry, ladies," he said. "It's invitation only."

Dan chuckled softly, stepping forward and holding up the letter. "I'm sorry, there seems to have been a misunderstanding. We were invited."

As soon as he finished speaking, Dan grabbed the bouncer by his hair and slammed him face first into the opposing wall. The large man fell to the ground in a crumpled heap, unmoving. Piper looked up at him, and her expression was not a happy one.

"Was that really necessary?" she asked.

"One less to worry about on the way out," Dan replied with a grin.

The sisters and their new charge stepped through the front door and entered the nightclub.


	3. Danse Macabre

Thanks for the support so far, guys. Now for the next part of the story!

* * *

The nightclub was alive with music and dancing, and lights in myriad colors played over the walls and crowd. The club was set up in a standard fashion, with the stage set against the back wall and a large mosh pit in front of it. Against the west wall was a long bar, and scattered throughout the room were four-chair tables. Patrons sat at these different placings, completely oblivious to the world of darkness seeping in around them. In the southwest corner was a staircase leading up to a doorway guarded by two men.

Dan took the lead, using his size and presence to part the crowd for the sisters, making his way towards the stairs. The people within paid them little notice, and he made a point to avoid the mosh pit so as to avoid getting the women in tow trampled. Before too long, the four of them were bearing down on the two guards.

"Sorry, restricted access beyond this point," the man on the left said. "Unless you have a VIP card I can't let you pass."

"Really? Then answer this question for me," Dan said, arching an eyebrow. He held up the letter. "Does this get me past you two goons?"

The guards looked over the letter for a moment, casting a glance at Dan and the three women before handing it back to him. "Everything seems in order, but I'm afraid Muscles here isn't allowed to come back with you."

Phoebe quickly spoke up, "We're not going anywhere without him. He's our... Uncle Bob."

"Uncle Bob?" the bouncer on the left said curiously, his brow raising. "Sorry, but that's the rules."

Dan sighed, turning back to the sisters. "Don't worry about me. They're not going to try anything," he said quietly. "I'll just stay near the bar and cover our escape route. Besides I need a drink."

Piper folded her arms beneath her breasts, her displeasure with the situation evident. "I don't like the idea of you being separated from us at all," she replied. "But if that's the only way we're getting in, I guess we have no choice."

"You three can handle yourselves just fine," Dan said. "Just remember, in this place the Prince's word is law. Be careful what you say and do."

The Charmed Ones nodded their understanding, and Dan turned back to the guards. "That's fine with us, but just remember one thing," he said as he leaned in close. "If anything happens to them, nobody is going to leave this place alive."

As he walked away, the guards laughed softly, obviously not shaken by his attempt to intimidate them. When he was gone, they both swiped cards, opening the door and allowing the Charmed Ones to pass.

"Go up the stairs to the last door at the end of the hallway," the one on the right said. "For your own safety, don't stop until you get there."

Piper nodded in understanding, brushing past them and leading her sisters into the room. The area beyond the door was entirely different from the nightclub on the other side. Red carpet and lavish wallpaper stood out most, and a tall spiral staircase grew from the center of the floor, stretching to the second level landing. The sisters followed this to its termination, and Piper found herself wringing her hands in anticipation. Getting annoyed with herself, she stuffed them into the pockets of her jeans instead.

The hallway on the second floor was long and narrow, lined on either side with doors much like a hotel. Some of the doors stood open, and as they passed, Piper could see Vampires feeding off of helpless mortal vessels that had been obviously seduced or otherwise convinced to come upstairs for a little "fun." She had to suppress her instinct to fight them off of the mortals, but a second look through another doorway brought a realization that caught her by suprise. The innocents that the undead were feeding upon actually seemed to be _enjoying_ what was happening to them, almost to the point of orgasmic bliss. Rather than reassuring her, this frightened Piper even more. If the bite of a vampire was pleasurable, what chance did they have should the Prince decide to embrace them?

What little color there was in Paige's fair-skinned face was drained at the first sight of the feedings. She was instantly reminded of when she had been bitten, even though the circumstances were different and she had never been truly been undead. Her heart raced within her chest, and she was sure her sisters' were as well. Still, they showed no loss of resolve or composure and she did her best to maintain hers as well. The verisimilitude of their current predicament to walking into the Queen's lair did not escape her notice, but she tried to push those thoughts to the back of her mind.

After what seemed like an endless journey, they finally reached the large twin doors at the end of the hall, but as Piper reached out to open them, they slowly swung open to permit the sisters entry. The interior of the Prince's chambers was much like the rest of the second floor, with red carpet and beautiful white wallpaper. Tapestries and elegant rugs also covered the walls and floor, and expensive furniture was set up strategically throughout the room. In the center of the chamber was a long conferance table flanked by two red leather sofas. Upon closer inspection, Piper realized that the table held the shape of a coffin. In fact, it _was_ a coffin.

"Welcome, Charmed Ones," a small femanine voice said from the west end of the room. When the sisters turned to see where it had come from, a large chair made from the same leather as the sofas rotated, revealing the slim figure of an eleven year-old girl. She was quite pretty, with long blonde hair that flowed past her shoulders and striking gray eyes. She wore a simple red dress and had very pale skin. There was a slight hint in her gaze that told Piper something was off about her, and it put her on edge. As she rose from the chair, another figure seemed to appear out of nowhere, standing by her side in an instant. He was tall and dressed in a fine suit. From his appearance, Piper guessed that he was her father.

"Are you the Prince?" Phoebe asked cautiously.

The little girl smiled and rose, walking to the center of the room. "My name is Maltavia, and yes I am the Prince of this city. This is my father, Mortimer. Now, if you would please, have a seat and let us discuss why I asked you here," she said, gesturing to the two couches.

Piper led her sisters over to the table, taking a seat across from Maltavia and her father. She suddenly noticed the lack of guards, but then realized that her father would most likely be protection enough. Paige took a seat to her left, and Phoebe to her right, but none of them relaxed, preferring to lean forward and remain at the ready.

"I hope seeing the Primogen and our guests feeding didn't alarm you," Mortimer said as he took his seat beside Maltavia. "First, let me assure you that tomorrow morning our vessels will have no memory or pain from this evening. We don't kill those we feed upon, it isn't wise to destroy a food source that is willing to come back for more."

Piper arched an eyebrow. "I realize that you need humans for sustenance, but don't be offended if we aren't exactly open to the idea of draining innocents of their blood supply right off the bat. So why did you bring us here?"

Mortimer smiled mirthlessly. "We wish to extend a peace offering. I realize that this must be a hard adjustment for you three to make, suddenly learning of the existence of our kind and other supernaturals. We merely wish to show you that we are not evil, and can be valuable allies. I'm hoping that we can come to some sort of mutual arrangement."

"Mutual arrangement," Maltavia echoes along with her father's smile.

Paige shifted uncomfortably, looking over at Phoebe when she spoke next.

"Wait, I thought you were the Prince," Phoebe said to Maltavia. "Why is he speaking for you?"

"She is my sire," Mortimer replied. "I am her voice, and she is but an echo."

"That... doesn't make much sense to me," Phoebe said honestly.

"I understand your confusion," Mortimer said. "We are Malkavians, a bloodline of the Ventrue Clan. Though we stem from the aristocracy of the Night, we unfortunately all suffer from... slight instabilities from time to time."

"From time to time," Maltavia echoed again.

"You offer us peace, on what conditions?" Paige asked, finally letting her voice be heard.

"You will be under our protection. Anyone that tries to harm you will have to answer to us," Mortimer replied simply. "In return, you will not interfere with our business and follow the laws that govern our society."

"And what laws are those?" Piper asked suspiciously.

"You will help to uphold the three Traditions," Mortimer said. "The first is the Tradition of Progeny. Unless given permission by the Prince, no Vampire within this city is allowed to Embrace a childe. If you see this happening, try to stop it. The second is the Tradition of Masquerade. We are to remain hidden from mortals at all costs. Being supernatural, I'm sure you understand why this law is neccessary, and have much experience in upholding it. The third is the Tradition of Amaranth. Vampires have the ability to consume the souls of their own kind in order to gain power. This is not tolerated in any form, and will be punished by Final Death."

"By Final Death," Maltavia repeated.

The sisters regarded their hosts for a moment. There was so much information to take in, but for some reason it all seemed to make sense. Vampires formed such a large part of society it was amazing that they had remained hidden for so long, but with such laws in place, it made it quite easy to grasp how they were able to. Piper spoke next.

"So as long as we agree to help you remain hidden and stop the breaking of these laws when we see them, you will leave us alone and even protect us?"

"Yes," Mortimer affirmed. "I don't expect you to police our city, we have people for that. I only ask for you to serve as a passive force to our government."

"This all sounds too good to be true, what's the catch?" Phoebe asked suspiciously.

Mortimer smiled at the exact same moment Maltavia did, both of them speaking in unison. "We only seek to forge an alliance with potentially the most powerful thaumaturges to ever walk this earth."

Paige was becoming increasingly creeped out by the Vampires' behaviour, but she tried her best not to show it. "So you are going to use us for your own gain, then?"

The two undead shook their heads simultaneously, then Mortimer spoke. "We only wish to be friends. I believe we can greatly benefit one another's goals if we just try to work together."

"Tempting," Piper said. "Would you be willing to allow us time to research everything you're telling us before we make our decision?"

Maltavia offered them a toothy grin as her father spoke. "Of course, take as long as you need. We have nothing but time. Just remember that though we may have ruled this fair city for the past one hundred-fifty years, the time will come when we are no longer in power, and the next regime' may not be as open to working with your kind."

"We will send our answer soon," Piper said, rising to her feet. Paige and Phoebe followed suit.

"Thank you for coming to meet with us," Mortimer said as he and his daughter stood. "Until next time."

"Until next time," Maltavia echoed.

* * *

Dan sat at the bar, a bottle of whisky and a shot glass before him. Every so often, he would glance back at the doorway in the corner, hoping to see the sisters emerge, but after half an hour they still hadn't returned. Just as he was beginning to formulate a plan to extract them himself, the door opened and the three women walked down the short staircase. Breathing a sigh of relief he rose, walking to meet them in the center of the club.

"How did it go?" he asked, quickly scanning them for any sign of injury. When they seemed fine, he allowed himself to relax.

"Let's just say that we learned a lot," Paige said. "We'll talk more about it when we're out of this deathtrap."

They hurridly exited the nightclub, crossing the parking lot to the car. As Dan opened the back door for Piper and Paige to climb in, a movement in the alleyway caught his eye. His instincts told him to get away as fast as possible, but his curiosity won over before the reflex could process.

"Wait here," he said.

He walked around to the back of the car and popped open the trunk. Grabbing his sword, he quickly buckled it around his torso so that the hilt stuck above his left shoulder. He then equipped his other weaponry, including a short sword that hung from his hip.

Piper watched with a furrowed brow. "What's going on?" she asked.

"Just stay here," Dan replied. "I'm going to go check something, I think someone might be following us. It's probably nothing, but I'm going to be ready just in case."

"Well, let us come with you," Phoebe protested.

"As I said, it's probably nothing," Dan replied. "I won't be gone for more than a few minutes."

Piper threw up her hands in frustration, sighing heavily. "Fine, but at the first sign of trouble, we're coming after you, understand?"

Dan nodded an abrupt agreement before slamming the trunk closed and making his way back towards the building. When he reached the alleyway he slowed, each step careful and silent. His hands moved to rest on the hilts of his swords, ready to draw them at the first sign of trouble. For several minutes he searched, checking behind every dumpster and stack of boxes, but he found nothing.

Piper sighed as he shrugged at her, signaling that he had found nothing. "Well I guess it was just a false alarm," she said, and instantly regretted it.

Suddenly, the ground beneath Dan's feet erupted, sending him flying through the air and into a dumpster with a heavy clang. When the dust cleared a moment later, Piper watched in horror as Valdaar brought Dan to his feet by his shoulder-length black hair before hurling him into the alley wall. The sound of ribs crunching filled the air, and as Dan rebounded he left a deep crack in the brick.

As Valdaar moved to grapple him again, Dan knocked his hands out of the way, lunging forward and throwing his thigh into Valdaar's abdomen. The Elemental doubled over with a loud cough, and Dan followed through with a vicious elbow strike to his opponent's face, sending him reeling backwards. The two combatants took a moment to collect their resolve before charging in again. Dan v-stepped, pivoting into a spinning backfist which caught his adversary directly in the cheek. Using the momentum from the strike, Valdaar dropped to one knee and attempted to sweep Dan's legs out from under him, but the mortal quickly stepped out of the way.

The sisters stood frozen watching the battle. Everything was a blur, happening too fast for them to react. Dan managed to take Valdaar to the ground with a punishing crescent kick to the temple, and a moment later had his opponent pinned with a heel to his throat. Dan's eyes widened when he saw his assailant's face for the first time, hesitating for the briefest of moments.

That was all Valdaar needed, however, and he took the opportunity provided and used it to take hold of Dan's foot and twist. Dan's left knee gave a loud snap, and he went down with a roar of pain. Valdaar pinned him the same way he had been just a moment before, grinning malevolently as his gaze burned into Dan's

"Say hello to your dead parents for me, Chosen," he said. He raised his hand, clenching it into a fist, calling upon the power within his soul. The ground trembled as it bowed to his will. Spikes burst forth from the asphalt, puncturing Dan's wrists, back, and chest with enough force to cause blood to mist in the air above him. Dan let out a scream of agony, and Valdaar smiled wickedly. He had aimed his strike nonlethally, intending for his victim to die slowly and painfully over the course of several minutes from blood loss.

Piper was moving before she even realized she had made the decision to, potion in hand. She hurled the grenade potion at Valdaar, screaming in anger.

"Get away from him, you bastard!" she roared. Valdaar looked up in surprise, reflexively using his telekinesis to deflect the potion away from him and detonate it. Piper screeched to a halt and hit the deck as a blossom of fire erupted between them. She felt Phoebe and Paige helping her to her feet, and when the smoke cleared enough for her to see Valdaar again, she began hitting him with as much force as her power of molecular combustion would allow.

With each blow Valdaar was knocked back a step, but other than causing bruises and other small abrasions, her power seemed to have little effect. Phoebe charged in, leaping in a levitation-aided flying side kick. Her heel struck Valdaar in the chest, causing him to tumble backwards over a garbage can.

"DAN!" Paige called, using her power of apportation to try and summon him away from the spikes. The plan worked, and her charge's body dissolved into incandescent, coalescing again in her arms. She failed to take into consideration how heavy he was and nearly dropped him, but she managed to hold on. He was completely drenched with blood and barely conscious, but she could tell that he was still alive.

"Let's get out of here!" Piper shouted as Phoebe started to charge after Valdaar. Her sister stopped and turned, nodding her agreement before they both rushed over to Paige.

"Orb us home, Paige," Phoebe said breathlessly. As Valdaar rose to his feet, the Charmed Ones and their innocent orbed out, leaving only a soft bluish-white glow in their wake.

* * *

Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. I've had a streak of inspiration so the next few updates should come fairly quickly. Be sure to review!

-The Warrior Poet


	4. Backlash

Sorry it's been so long since an update, guys. Things get kind of hectic when you're about to have a baby.

Enjoy!

* * *

"LEO! LEO!" Piper shouted as they appeared in the manor's living room. As a bluish-white glow filled the room, Phoebe and Paige hauled Dan's limp form onto the couch.

"Next time, let's take his gear off before we try to lift him up," Paige says breathlessly.

"What happened?" Leo asked frantically?

"Innocent... needs... healing," Phoebe replied.

Leo's eyes shifted to the couch, and widened at the site of their charge. He rushed over, placing his hands over Dan's chest and pouring as much healing energy as he could into his body. A golden glow appeared beneath his hands, but as quickly as it appeared, it grew dim and faltered.

"What's wrong?" Phoebe asked, her concerned gaze shifting to Leo's face.

"I don't know," Leo replied honestly. "For some reason, his body is resisting the healing."

Paige's brow furrowed at this, and she looked up at Piper. "What would be causing that? His injuries were definitely not self-inflicted."

Piper shook her head. "There's a hundred things it could be."

_"I had a Whitelighter once."_

Paige's eyes widened in sudden realization. Leo wouldn't be able to heal him alone. She knew that her brother-in-law's difficulty had something to do with Dan's ex-Whitelighter. She wasn't sure what, but she reached out and grabbed Leo's shoulder, placing her palm against the side of Dan's face.

The two magics came together in a great burst of energy, strengthening the glow beneath Leo's hands, and causing one to come forth from beneath Paige's. Dan's wounds quickly began to fade away, and within a few moments, his eyes fluttered open.

"Don't tell me I fucking passed out," Dan coughed, looking up at all of them.

"Quick thinking, Paige," Leo said. "How'd you know that would work?"

"Um," Paige began uncertainly, "I didn't really have a clue that it would. I just thought it would be worth a try."

"Well, good intuition," Leo affirmed.

"Are you okay?" Phoebe asked as he sat up.

"I should be fine, yeah," Dan said. "Lucky there are so many Whitelighters around here. It's no small wonder you people have no inhibitions to throwing yourselves in danger."

"Even we have to be careful," Piper said. "And you should be more careful, too," she added. "Getting yourself killed isn't going to do anybody any good."

"It's not like I expected to lose, Piper," Dan snapped. "He surprised me. He knows better than to get into a head-on fight with me nowadays, so he's gotten smarter."

"As we all should," Phoebe agreed.

They sat in silence for a moment, no ones' gazes meeting. Leo was the first to speak up.

"Well, I'm going to go check with the Elders about Dan, see if anything turns up on why he can't be healed."

"He can be," Paige says quickly. "I mean, he's not the first person we've ever had to heal together," she adds, casting a quick glance towards Phoebe.

"Don't bring Cole into this, Paige," Phoebe warned.

"Oh crimeny, I was just using him as an example," Paige said.

"Still, I think we should try to find a solution to this, either by getting him a Whitelighter of his own or at least finding out why it took two of us to heal him," Leo countered.

"You don't have to ask the Elders," Dan said quietly. "They won't put me in anyone's charge."

"Explain," Piper said.

"I had a Whitelighter once," he said. "Her name was Kendal. Kendal Daystar. Of course, I had no idea what she was at first. She found me shortly after I lost... my parents."

Phoebe's brow furrowed, noticing the hesitation. She decided to let him continue, however.

"About four years ago, she was cornered by a Darklighter hired by Valdaar," he said, taking a deep breath. "I couldn't get to her in time, and the arrow passed right through. It took a long time for her to die..."

Piper's gaze met Leo's. They'd had their encounters with Darklighters before, and it rarely ended well. Thankfully, they had always been there to watch each others' backs. There was no coming back from a Darklighter's poison once it killed. The Whitelighter would have ceased to exist, her orbs scattered to the furthest reaches of Oblivion.

"I cursed the Elders that day. Told them that if they ever interfered in my life again that I would do everything within my power to hunt down and kill every last one of them," Dan continued bitterly. "They could have helped her, but because of their stupid rules, they refused. Because she had revealed what she was to me, they no longer afforded her protection while she stayed by my side."

"They made Leo leave for that same reason," Piper said. "The Elders have always been stubborn about their rules, but they are a force for good. They only want to help innocents like you."

"Don't lecture me with sanctimonious platitudes," Dan snapped, rising to his feet. "If they're so good, then why do they try to drive a wedge between innocents and the people that protect them? If these people are important enough to protect, then why not allow those who already know of the existence of something darker in this world to know that there is hope as well? Unless you can answer that, then don't lecture me about Good and Evil. I've seen things that would make your toenails curl."

"Dan, I wasn't trying to-" Piper began.

"Save it," Dan replied. "I need some air."

He grabbed his jacket and sword, sheathing the latter across his back before pulling his jacket on. Without another word, he turned and walked out the door. Phoebe looked at her sisters for a moment, her gaze slightly irritated.

"You know, as much as you claim to dislike the Elders... you sure sounded a lot like them just now," she said. "I'm going after him, see what else you can find out."

* * *

BACKGROUND MUSIC: SLIPKNOT - VERMILLION PT. 2

Phoebe opened the passenger door of Dan's car, sliding into the seat beside him. "Where are we going?"

Dan arched an eyebrow at her as he started the car. "We aren't going anywhere. I'm going for a drink. You can either get out now or I can boot you out while the vehicle is in motion. Your choice."

"I'm not here to lecture you, Dan," she said with a sigh. "I just want to help. You seem like you need a friend."

"I don't have any friends," he replied coldly. "Friends get killed."

"You know, something my Grams once told me, and it sounded really strange coming from a ball-buster like her, was that 'A cold heart is a dead heart.' You've spent so many years building walls that you won't let anyone in," she said. "If you don't ever allow anyone to get close to you, then what's the point of living?"

"To live is to suffer," Dan replied. "And to survive... well that's to find meaning in the suffering."

Phoebe reached out, placing a soft hand on his forearm. "I can show you that there is more to life than Demons and magic," she said softly. "If you're willing to give me and my sisters a chance. We'll help you vanquish Valdaar, Dan. We'll make everything right."

"How can you make everything right?" he asked, starting the engine and putting the car into gear. "Can you bring people back from the dead? Can you track down an individual contract back to the Darklighter it was given to?"

Phoebe shook her head, casting her gaze downwards. "No, we can't. But we can help you put the past behind you. It's the only way to move forward. Your parents would want you to be happy, even more than they would want their deaths' avenged."

Dan hit the accellerator, roaring down the street. "I can't live a normal life until Valdaar is dead. Not just because of vengeance, but because he won't stop coming after me until one of us is dead."

"I realize that now," Phoebe said. "Piper and Paige are working on a vanquishing potion and spell for the next time we run into him. We don't want a repeat of earlier."

The city lights streaked by in the night as Dan continued to roar down the road at speeds exceeding eighty miles per hours in the heart of downtown. "Yeah, he won't catch me off guard again. I just hope your spells and potions will work against him. Piper's powers did absolutely nothing to stop him. Don't things normally explode when she uses her molecular combustion on them?"

Phoebe allowed herself a small laugh. "Most of the time, yes," she said. "And even if our powers don't work against him, we have other allies in the city now."

"If you're referring to the Vampires, I wouldn't count on them for much," he said. "I also wouldn't go around asking them for favors, either. You don't want to be in their debt."

"Then what do you propose?" she asked with an exhausted sigh. "You've shot down everything I've thrown up so far, and I'm out of ideas."

"I can tell you what it's going to come down to," Dan said. "There will be one fight, between he and I alone, and only one of us will walk away from it. The best we can do is make sure that fight is on our terms and our battlefield."

* * *

Piper jumped back as the potion gave off a loud bang and released a puff of smoke. She quickly cleared it with a wave of her hand. "Potion's ready!" she called out to Paige.

Her younger sister walked into the kitchen carrying a pencil and notepad. "What do you think?"

"Well, it's got everything except for a piece of his flesh," Piper said. "But since he's not a demon, I doubt that will make a difference. I did, however, put some soil into the mix to represent Earth. That might give it a stronger effect on him."

"Good idea," Paige concurred.

"What about you?" Piper asked, gesturing towards the notepad before pouring the potion into vials.

"I'm almost done," her sister replied. "Just a couple more bad rhymes and we should be ready. If we say the spell and hit him with the potion afterwards, it might just do the trick."

"There are a lot more 'mights' and 'shoulds' than I'd like in this conversation," Piper said with a sigh. "But we're dealing with something new, so we can't really help that."

The front door opened, permitting Phoebe and Dan entrance. They were talking quietly amongst themselves, stopping only after Phoebe saw her sisters in the kitchen. The pair approached briskly.

"Any luck?" Phoebe asked.

"I could ask you the same question," Piper said, eyeing her sister suspiciously.

"I'm... going to go lay down," Dan said with a yawn. He turned, walking into the living room and disappearing from view.

"Phoebe," Piper began in a warning tone. "It's eight in the morning, where were you two?"

The middle sister rolled her eyes. "Is that all you two think about?" she asked. "We talked. He drank... albiet a lot, which is probably why we talked so much."

"He didn't seem that drunk to me," Paige said.

"Oh, he can hold his liqour pretty well," Phoebe replied with a chuckle. "He downed two whole bottles of vodka and actually stayed conscious the entire time."

"So what, you two spent the entire night at the bar?" Piper asked, arching an eyebrow.

Phoebe grimaced, casting an apologetic look at Piper. "Actually... we were at P3," she said. "He didn't want to come back here, and it was the only place I could think of that would be safe."

Paige could see Piper's temples throb as her jaw clenched, but to her surprise, her sister's reply was calm.

"That's better than what could have happened," she said finally. "Just as long as you two are safe."

"Did you find out anything else?" Paige asked.

Phoebe took a deep breath before answering. "Nothing really helpful to our situation," she said. "But he let out a lot of stuff. Stuff that I think he's been holding in for a long time."

Piper and Paige nodded, but didn't press the issue further. If Dan had wanted them to know, he would have told them himself. If Phoebe said there was nothing of relevance to their current situation, then they would take her word for it.

"So what do we do now?" Phoebe asked, breaking the silence.

Paige tore off the page she had been writing on as well as the two behind it, handing each of her sisters a copy. "Now we get ready for an Elemental hunt," she said with a mischevious grin.

* * *

The sisters read silently over the summoning spell one last time, preparing themselves as much as possible for the battle ahead. They had waited until Dan was away, not wanting to risk their innocent's life again. The air in the attic was thick and heavy, mostly due to the smoke billowing forth from the bowl they had used to mix ingredients for the spell. Before them was a circle of crystals intended to trap Valdaar when they summoned him, although none of them were sure it would work.

"If we're going to do this, the time is now," Paige said. Piper and Phoebe nodded their agreement, even though uncertainty showed in their gazes. After taking a deep breath, the Charmed Ones chanted in unison:

"_Being of earth and stone,_

_We summon you to this home._

_Whether far or near,_

_We call the Elemental here."_

There was a swirl of yellowish light that appeared within the three crystals. Sensing a being entering their circle, the crystals sprang to life, forming a cage. A moment later, Valdaar materialized before them. He was a head taller than Dan, but more lean. His eyes were a deep brown, and his hair as dark as the night sky. He was an average-looking man, with little that made him stand out other than his height. He wore a black hooded cloak, revealing nothing underneath.

Valdaar immediately noticed his change in surroundings, and upon seeing the witches, grinned wickedly. "You have just made a fatal error," he said. "A pity the pretty ones are always so stupid." He took a step forward, but the cage shocked him, causing him to jump back a step.

"Not as stupid as we look, apparently," Piper said.

"Hurry up and say the spell!" Paige whispered urgently.

"Ah, but it isn't that simple now, is it?" Valdaar interrupted. "You see, it was a smart idea to make a magical cage to trap me, but the folly was not here. No, your error came when you chose crystals for your power source," he continued with a grin. The Elemental lifted a hand, and suddenly the three crystals rose into the air, deactivating the cage.

"Uh oh," Paige said.

Valdaar flicked his wrist, sending the crystals towards the sisters. They landed in a perfect triangle around them, and suddenly the tables had turned. White energy sprang forth from the rocks, connecting above their heads. They were trapped.

"Say the spell!" Piper ordered.

"What's the point!?" Paige countered.

"Well we have to do something!"

"There's nothing we can do," Phoebe replied slowly, her gaze never leaving Valdaar's. "He's won."

Valdaar offered her a malevolent smile. "Any last words?"

At that moment the attic door burst open. Dan, fully clad in armor and weaponry charged in a second later, sword raised in a striking angle. He roars, charging Valdaar and swinging to cleave off the Elemental's head. Only superhuman reflexes prevent his opponent from decapitation, but the blade did manage to sever his left ear.

Valdaar howled in pain, clutching the side of his face with one hand as he reeled backwards. Using the point of his sword, Dan knocked the closest crystal aside. Now free, the sisters immediately took a defensive position around their charge. Piper began blasting the Elemental with her molecular combustion, knowing full well that it would be ineffective but distract him.

"The spell!" Paige shouted as she watched Dan charge his nemesis.

As Dan charged, Valdaar V-stepped, drawing his serpentine blade and bringing it in a whistling arc towards his adversary. Sensing the attack, Dan ducked and rolled, coming to his feet facing the other. As the two circled, he could hear the sisters begin to chant:

"_Being of Ear-"_

"Oh no you don't!" Valdaar roared. He dropped to one knee, slamming his fist into the floor. A telekinetic shockwave burst forth from the point of impact, sending the sisters flying into the opposite wall and Dan crashing to the floor. Knowing he was outmatched and outplanned, Valdaar quickly made his escape by leaping out of the attic window.

Dan pulled himself to his feet with a groan before making his way over to where the sisters were gathering themselves up. Paige could tell by his expression that this wasn't going to end well.

"Just what the hell were you three thinking?" he asked, crossing his arms over his chest. "Do you have any idea what would have happened had I not shown up when I did?"

"We were thinking that we do this sort of thing on a weekly basis," Piper replied. "And we have been for a long time. We didn't plan on him being able to use his magic inside of the crystal cage."

"Of course he can," Dan replied with a groan. "His magic doesn't work like yours does. You draw your power from nature, the Supernal Realms and the outside world. His power comes from within. If there is anything that can rid an Elemental of his powers, they are secrets well-guarded or long lost."

"Why didn't you tell us this before?" Paige asked.

"I thought you understood what was happening," he replied. "We're not in the same ballpark anymore. This isn't some kiddie demon Thrall that you're trying to kill here. This is a monster capable of killing hundreds of people on a whim. Hell, this guy and the 'demons' that you three have faced aren't in the same league- no, this isn't even the same fucking sport!"

"Take it easy," Phoebe warned softly.

"No," Dan replied. "You three need to wake up. The world you live in is just a sugar-coated topping. There is another world beneath it. And if you want to survive, then you'd better learn how to play their game. You want to help me kill Valdaar?" he asked with an arched eyebrow. When they nodded, he drew two short-swords and a hatchet from within his coat. "Then I'll show you how we're going to kill him."

* * *

Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. More developments to come :-D.

-The Warrior Poet


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